Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University A land-grant institution
2007 Outstanding Graduating Seniors
Each year the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recognizes those students who have been selected by each of the departments as their outstanding students. Each of the recipients has gone beyond their traditional college experience of taking courses to voluntarily participating in opportunities that have truly broadened their education.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Emily Blevins, outstanding senior for the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
Emily Blevins of Abingdon, Va., is this year’s outstanding senior in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Emily has been very active in several organizations during her tenure at Virginia Tech. She has held leadership positions in the Ag Econ Club, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassadors, and Alpha Zeta. She has interned with Farm Credit of Virginias and has been an undergraduate teaching assistant. Emily has also been involved as an undergraduate research assistant, primarily working with agricultural law and taxation. Outside of school, she is very active in community service as a 4-H volunteer, a volunteer with the “From Farm to You” fourth grade grain program, and as a Bible camp counselor. She has also completed mission work in El Jicaral, Nicaragua. Emily will be receiving a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and applied economics as well as a degree in accounting and information systems.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Brooke Swecker, outstanding senior for the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
The Agricultural and Extension Education Department has named Brooke Swecker of Harrisonburg, Va., its outstanding senior for 2007. Brooke is active in several organizations including the Agricultural Education Society of Virginia Tech where she serves as president, the Virginia FFA Young Farmers, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassadors. She has also received the distinction of receiving the highest freshman, sophomore, and junior GPA award for the Agricultural Education Society during her tenure at Virginia Tech. Brooke has been on the dean’s list every semester and is a member of several honor societies including Alpha Tau Alpha Honor Fraternity, Gamma Sigma Delta, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; David Callahan, outstanding senior for the Agricultural Technology Program; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
The Agricultural Technology program has named David Callahan of Roanoke, Va., its outstanding student. David will complete his associate of agriculture degree in turfgrass management. He has been employed at the Roanoke Country Club since May of 2000 where he has been responsible for golf course management and daily maintenance as well as supervised crews working on irrigation, bunker renovation, and drainage. He also completed a summer internship at the Kinlock Golf Course in Mankin-Sabot, Va.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Sarah Blevins, outstanding senior for the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
This year’s outstanding student in the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences is Sarah Blevins of Abingdon, Va. Sarah is the recipient of many awards and scholarships including the John Lee Pratt Senior Research Scholarship, Pamplin Leader Award, and American Society of Animal Science Scholarship Award. She has been active in the college, serving as an Animal and Poultry Sciences Student Ambassador and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassador and has been a member of Alpha Zeta and Poultry Club. Sarah has taken a keen interest in the mechanism of animal resistance to environmental toxicants and is currently completing independent research on how genetics affects such traits. She plans to continue her education at Virginia Tech in a master’s program in the area of genotoxicology under the guidance of Dr. Ron Lewis.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Lauren Stone Ligon, outstanding senior for the Department of Biochemistry; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
Lauren Stone Ligon of Charlotte, N.C., is this year’s outstanding student in the Department of Biochemistry. In addition to excelling the classroom, Lauren has completed two years of undergraduate research with Dr. Dennis Dean in the Department of Biochemistry. She was also a participant in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in the Department of Chemistry at Georgetown University and has spent several summers as a research assistant in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. Lauren has also found time to be involved with the Biochemistry Club, Phi Beta Kappa National Arts and Sciences Honors Society, and the Phi Sigma National Biological Honor Society. Among her long list of awards and scholarships includes a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention and the Alumni Presidential Scholarship. Lauren will be receiving bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and biological sciences.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Kathy Debusk, outstanding senior for the Department of Biological Systems Engineering; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
Kathy DeBusk of Blackstone, Va., has been named the outstanding senior in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. During Kathy’s tenure at Virginia Tech she was also named outstanding sophomore and outstanding junior in the department. In addition to being named to the dean’s list multiple times Kathy is also a member of several honor societies including Alpha Epsilon, Gamma Sigma Delta, Tau Beta Pi, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Kathy has spent her summers interning at the Hanover County Department of Public Works and the Base Realignment and Closure Program in Fort Pickett, Va. She is also involved as a water quality laboratory assistant, a general undergraduate engineering support team mentor, a Get Connected member, and an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. Kathy will be pursuing a master’s degree from Virginia Tech in biological systems engineering with a focus on storm water hydrology.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Lisa Moore, outstanding senior for the Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
The Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences has named Lisa Moore of Radford, Va., its outstanding senior. Lisa has been very active in the Agronomy Club as a member and by serving as its treasurer. She was a member of the 2006 Soil Judging Team that placed second at the national contest where she placed seventh overall. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Delta, and Phi Sigma honor societies and was the recipient of the 2005 Tim Price Leadership Award. Moore was one of four students chosen to participate in a USDA grant in West Africa, where she traveled and collected samples to be used for an undergraduate research project funded by United States Agency for International Development. She has had an abstract published by the American Society of Agronomy and is one of only four students from Virginia Tech to present a research project at the Atlantic Coast Research Symposium.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Natalie Keene, outstanding senior for the Department of Dairy Science; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
Natalie Keene, of Canton, Maine, has been named the outstanding senior in the Department of Dairy Science. During her tenure at Virginia Tech, Natalie has taken on several leadership positions, including president of the Dairy Club at Virginia Tech and president of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council, and she has been an active member of Alpha Zeta Honors Fraternity and a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassador. She has conducted two undergraduate research projects and has helped Virginia Tech’s Dairy Judging and Dairy Challenge teams receive top national honors. Natalie has spent her summers gaining real-world experience participating in a variety of internships including Genus Breeding in England, Farm Credit of Maine, and World Wide Sires in California. Upon graduation, she will begin full-time work with World Wide Sires as a marketing specialist. Natalie has also found time to volunteer her time to Services for Students with Disabilities and at several agricultural education events including the Fourth Grade Experience, First Grade days, and Agtoberfest.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Daniel Serrano Volpe, outstanding senior for Environmental Sciences; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
Daniel Serrano Volpe of Reston Va., has been named the outstanding senior for environmental sciences in the Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences. Daniel has been on both the Dean’s List and President’s List every semester during his tenure and is working toward obtaining a dual degree in environmental sciences and biochemistry. He is a member of several academic honor societies including Phi Theta Kappa, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Phi Sigma Alpha. Daniel participated in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates Program at the University of Virginia where he worked on an ecological assessment of a plant that might be helpful in phytoremediation but has the potential of becoming an invasive species. He has also served as a laboratory assistant in biology and crop and soil environmental sciences.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Ashley Zekert, outstanding senior for the Department of Food Science and Technology; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
The outstanding senior for the Department of Food Science and Technology is Ashley Zekert of Mechanicsville, Va. Ashley has received multiple scholarships and awards including the John Alton “Tip” Spivey Scholarship, Virginia-Carolina Dairy Production Association Scholarship, and the John Lee Pratt Foundation Scholarship. She has been a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ambassador, a member of the Food Science Club, a member of Product Development Team, and a member of the Institute of Food Technologists. Ashley is a member of Phi Sigma Biological Science Honor Society and has served its secretary.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Brian Booth, outstanding senior for the Department of Horticulture; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
The Department of Horticulture has named Brian Booth of Hardy, Va., the 2007 outstanding senior. Brian has been active in a variety of extracurricular activities including the Horticulture Club, PLANET club, and Pi Alpha Xi, the national honors society for horticulture. Brian has served as the programs chair and the treasurer for the Horticulture Club and is currently the secretary and treasurer for Pi Alpha Xi. Brian cares for all the lawn needs of his local church and has helped put on a benefit at the local elementary school. He has helped with the Horticulture Club’s Annual Fall Festival and coordinated Pi Alpha Xi’s annual bulb sale.
Mary Marchant, associate dean and director of Academic Programs; Dustin Flannery, outstanding senior for the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise; and Sharron Quisenberry, dean
Dustin Flannery of Woodbury, N.J., is this year’s recipient of the outstanding senior award in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise. Dustin has been involved in multiple medical mentorships at the Montgomery Regional Hospital, Underwood Memorial Hospital, West Deptford Family Medicine, and the Virginia Tech Sports Medicine program. He has been active in the Virginia Tech American Medical Student Association, where he has served in roles such as vice president and humanistic medicine committee chairperson. He is also involved with the Virginia Tech Chamber Singers and plays the violin. In 2006, Dustin traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, to study at the American Institute for Foreign Study at Charles University. While he was there, he tutored English to Czech High School students twice each week. He is planning to attend the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine upon graduation.